Class #2: Intro to Seasonal Cooking / Salsa Verde, Roasted Veg & White Beans, Creamy Soup
“Nature has taught me so much about moving with the seasons, that we need to honor times of harvest and times of rest. That the frenetic pace of doing, doing, doing, without being present with each other and the season we are in, what is happening around us, is unnatural and counter to life.”
Some Key Takeaways
Notes
Intuitive cooking and seasonal cooking are deeply interconnected. Our intuition and our physical bodies are influenced by each season of nature, since we have evolved within nature and are a part of nature.
The coolest thing about seasonal cooking is that nature provides us with exactly what we need during any given time of year. It’s no accident that water-rich vegetables and fruit like tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, and melons grow during the hottest months of the summer, when we need lots of hydration. And that once nature starts winding down into the fall and winter months, more starchy and calorie dense produce like winter squashes, roots and tubers of all kinds come into season, to support our need for warmth and grounding. And in the spring, it’s all about the tender, green things like asparagus, peas, radishes, and greens of all sorts, which help us replenish our nutrient and mineral supplies with their chlorophyll.
Living more in tune with these perfect rhythms of nature feels so good, on many levels: physical, emotional, and even spiritual. Physical because we are supporting our bodies with the most current food that our environment is producing. Eating a bowl of squash stew in the fall just feels nourishing on the deepest level, and same goes for eating a huge, juicy salad in the summer. Emotionally, it’s really fun to wait for things to come into season and to enjoy them fully when they do. Few things are as exciting as having the first, local strawberries in the spring after a long winter, or tomatoes in the summer, etc. Food starts feeling like a celebration, which is the way that it should be. And by the time you get sick of something, it usually goes out of season, and you get to rebuild your excitement by waiting until next year. Spiritually, seasonal eating helps us connect to nature and remind ourselves that we’re not separate from it. Each season carries with it a particular energy, and by eating what grows during any given season, we get to tap deeper into that energy and fully embrace the season that we’re living through.
Our modern society has been loosing track of seasonal eating for a while now, and many of us are raised without much understanding of the seasons, and what grows at what time. We can now have strawberries flown in to our supermarket in the middle of February, which makes them less special, not to mention less flavorful. A lot of this is a great thing, of course. I buy out of season celery for my juice, cherry tomatoes, frozen berries, etc. all the time and feel deeply appreciative of this kind of availability. But I still find eating mostly with the seasons, while enjoying some conveniences of modern life, to be deeply beneficial, physically, emotionally and spiritually.
The other amazing thing about seasonal cooking and eating is that it gives you the opportunity to eat and shop more locally. If this isn’t already part of your routine, try seeking out a farmers market, farm stand, or store that sells local produce near you. There are so many benefits to buying local, seasonal produce: it’s likely to be fresher than store-bought, since it didn’t have to travel far to get to you, which also usually means that it’s much more flavorful. You’re directly supporting farmers, who are your neighbors and buying food right from its source. The produce is often more affordable, since it didn’t have to travel huge distances or go through middlemen to get to you. You also get to learn exactly what’s in season at what time for your particular climate, and just the sheer beauty of freshly-picked produce is incredibly inspiring.
If you don’t have access to locally grown produce, you can still eat seasonally. Most grocery stores nowadays are pretty well curated when it comes to seasonal produce, and once you know what to look for during each season, you can curate your shopping list to be a little more seasonal.
I made a general list of produce by season, which you can see and download below. I also included a list of colors, cravings, and moods that I associate with each season. You can use this cheat sheet as a general guide for what veggies and fruit to look for during any given time of year.
Seasonal Produce Cheat Sheet
* Made with the four season climate in mind, based on Northern Hemisphere seasons (if you’re in the Southern Hemisphere, flip the seasons around). The produce listed is general and may vary according to your specific location.
Fall
gourds and tubers
potatoes
pumpkin
sweet potatoes
winter squash
Fruit:
apples
cranberries
figs
grapes
pears
Colors:
oranges and yellows
deep reds and browns
dark greens
purples
Mood:
introspective
winding down
bittersweet
cozy
Cravings:
starchier, more calorie-dense produce like squashes, roots, and tubers, hearty, dark leafy greens and cruciferous vegetables
cozy foods, like soups, stews, roasts, baked goods
warming spices, like cinnamon, ginger, cloves, star anise, cardamom, turmeric, chili
warm drinks of all sorts
Vegetables:
roots
beets
carrots
celeriac
ginger
parsnips
radishes
turmeric
turnips
greens, etc.
bok choy
celery
chard
collard greens
fennel
kale
lettuces
mustard greens
spinach
cruciferous
broccoli/broccolini
brussels sprouts
cabbage
cauliflower
alliums
onions
Winter
Fruit:
grapefruit
lemons
limes
oranges
persimmons
Colors:
oranges and yellows
dark greens
deep reds and purples
Mood:
hibernating
festive
cozy
Cravings:
starchier, more calorie-dense produce like roots and tubers, hearty, dark leafy greens, as well as sunny & bright citrus fruits
cozy foods, like soups, stews, roasts, baked goods
warm drinks of all sorts
Vegetables:
roots
beets
celeriac
parsnips
turnips
greens, etc.
bok choy
collard greens
kale
mustard greens
spinach
cruciferous
brussels sprouts
cabbage
rutabaga
gourds and tubers
potatoes
sweet potatoes
winter squash
Spring
other
artichokes
asparagus
fiddleheads
kohlrabi
Fruit:
apricots
rhubarb (not a fruit, but used as such)
strawberries
Colors:
light, fresh greens
light pink and electric pink
Mood:
awakening
optimistic
refreshed
Cravings:
more lightly cooked and raw foods, as the body comes out of hibernation
fresh, bright greens to replenish mineral and nutrient supplies
more water rich produce like strawberries, peas, asparagus, to welcome the warmth ahead
Vegetables:
roots
radishes
salad turnips
peas and beans
fava beans
sugarsnap peas
snow peas
alliums
chives
garlic scapes
leeks
ramps
spring garlic
spring onions
greens
arugula
dandelion greens
lettuces
nettles
spinach
watercress
tubers
young potatoes
Summer
Fruit:
blackberries
blueberries
cherries
figs
melons
nectarines
peaches
plums
raspberries
watermelon
Colors:
summer produce comes in every color imaginable
bright reds, yellows, light greens, pinks, purples
Mood:
sunny
energized
light
balmy
Cravings:
water-rich produce to support and hydrate the body in the heat, like tomatoes, cucumbers, summer squashes, eggplant, melons, stonefruit, berries, etc.
more raw and lightly cooked foods
Vegetables:
roots
beets
carrots
nightshades and gourds
cucumbers
eggplant
peppers
summer squash
tomatoes
zucchini
beans and peas
green beans
snow peas
sugarsnap peas
alliums
garlic
leeks
onions
other
corn
celery
fennel
herbs
Recipes
To roast the kabocha squash and carrots for the below recipes,
preheat the oven to 400° F (200° C). Cut a 2 lb/900 g kabocha squash (or another variety of winter squash with edible skin, like kuri squash) in half and scoop out the seeds. Cut into wedges, following the natural grooves of the squash. Cut 8 small-medium carrots in half lengthwise. Put the vegetables on a large, parchment-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil or other cooking oil of choice, and sprinkle with salt, and pepper to taste. Roast for 40-45 minutes, stirring halfway, until the vegetables are fully cooked through and caramelized in parts.
Salsa Verde
1 garlic clove, minced
zest and juice from 1 small lemon or lime, or about 2-3 tablespoons nice vinegar
1 large bunch parsley or 1 small bunch parsley and 1 small bunch other tender herbs
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
pinch chili flakes, optional
olive oil
Add the garlic to a medium bowl, along with the lemon/lime zest and juice, or vinegar. Chop the herbs roughly for a rustic, chunky sauce, and more finely for a more refined sauce. Add the herbs to the bowl, along with salt, pepper, and chili flakes to taste, if using. Start adding the olive oil as you mix it in simultaneously, until you achieve a loose sauce consistency. Taste for salt, pepper, and acidity, adjust if needed.
Roasted Kabocha Squash and Carrots with White Beans and Salsa Verde
serves 4-6
3 - 3 1/2 cups (2 15 oz/425 g cans) cooked white beans
salsa verde (recipe above)
sea salt, if needed
olive oil, if needed
1 lb/455 g kabocha squash or kuri squash (about half of 1 small squash), roasted
4 small-medium carrots, roasted
Add the white beans to a medium bowl. Drizzle about half of the salsa verde over the beans, and mix it in. Taste the beans for salt and add more if needed. Add a few more glugs of olive oil, if the beans seem too dry.
Spoon the beans on a large serving platter. Arrange the warm roasted squash and carrots over top. Drizzle with the rest of the salsa verde and serve.
Creamy Kabocha Squash, Carrot, and Ginger Soup
serves 4
olive oil, coconut oil, or avocado oil
1 yellow onion, diced
sea salt
4 garlic cloves, minced
2” piece ginger, finely grated
1/2 - 1 teaspoon curry powder
1 lb/455 g kabocha squash or kuri squash (about half of 1 small squash), roasted
4 small-medium carrots, roasted
1 13.5 oz/380 g can full fat coconut milk
water or vegetable broth
juice from 1-2 limes
Heat a soup pot over medium heat. Add enough oil to coat the bottom. Add the onion and a pinch of salt, saute for 7 minutes, or until soft and translucent. Add the garlic, ginger, and curry, stir around until fragrant, about 1 more minute.
Add the squash, carrots, coconut milk, and more salt to taste to the pot. Add enough water or vegetable broth to just cover the vegetables. Bring to a simmer. Once simmering, turn off the heat. Blend the soup using an immersion blender or transfer to an upright blender (in batches, if needed) and blend until smooth. Assess the thickness of the soup, add more water or veggie broth, if needed, to achieve the desired, creamy soup consistency. Return the soup to the pot. If you added more water or broth, bring it back up to a simmer, then turn off the heat. Taste for salt and adjust if needed. Add the juice of 1 lime, taste the soup and add more lime juice if needed. Enjoy warm, topped with the garlicky sesame kale.
Garlicky Sesame Kale
olive oil or avocado oil
1 large bunch kale, stemmed and torn into bite-sized pieces
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper or chili flakes
drizzle of toasted sesame oil (optional)
Heat a medium skillet over medium heat, and add enough oil to lightly coat the bottom. Add the kale, sesame seeds, salt, and pepper or chili flakes to taste. Saute the kale until wilted, about 5-7 minutes. If you’d like the kale to be crispy, cook it a little longer, until crispy in parts. Taste for salt and adjust if needed. Serve warm.
Intuitive Cooking Takeaways
Just like vinaigrette, salsa verde is a great, staple, no-recipe sauce to have under your sleeve. It can be added to any savory foods that would benefit from a bright, verdant, garlicky flavor. The recipe can can be endlessly customized according to what you’re cooking or what you have on hand, and it’s perfect for using up leftover herbs. I like to use a base of parsley and add any other tender herbs like cilantro, basil, mint, dill, oregano, chives, tarragon, etc. For the acid component, use lemon or lime juice, or any nice vinegar like white wine or red wine vinegar, sherry vinegar, apple cider vinegar, champagne vinegar, etc. You can further customize the flavor by adding fresh chopped chilis like serrano, jalapeno, or red chili, or spices like chili flakes, whole toasted cumin seeds or mustard seeds, etc. You can even add chopped nuts or seeds, which would take the sauce in the direction of pesto. It helps to think about what you’ll be serving the salsa verde with and choose your herbs, acid component, and any other ingredients you’d like to add accordingly. For example, if you’re serving the salsa verde with smashed potatoes, it would be nice to make it with parsley and dill, and use lemon juice as the acid. Or if you’re serving it with roasted sweet potatoes and black beans, use cilantro and lime juice. Flex your intuitive cooking muscle and lean into what you’re cooking. Lastly, since salsa verde is so flexible, you can use more or less ingredients than what is listed in the recipe above, that recipe is just a very general guide.
You can use the framework of the roasted vegetable and white bean recipe, and alter it endlessly. Try using different kinds of beans, like chickpeas or gigante beans. The kabocha squash and carrots can be replaced with any other roasted vegetables, like other kinds of squash, parsnips, sweet potatoes, cauliflower, broccoli, etc.
The creamy soup can be made with pretty much any leftover roasted vegetables. For example, if instead of the roasted squash and carrots you have roasted cauliflower and broccoli, you can follow the same framework of the recipe to make a sort of cream of broccoli soup. You can vary your base soup ingredients according to the kind of roasted vegetables that you’re using. For example, instead of using onion, garlic, and ginger, you can use a traditional mirepoix of onion, carrot, and celery for the base of your soup, adding the garlic later. Same goes for the spices, if you have a certain spice that you know goes well with your roasted vegetables, use it in place of the curry. Making soups like this is another perfect opportunity to develop your cooking intuition!
Any sturdy greens that do well when sautéed can replace the kale in the garlicky sesame kale, like chard, spinach, mustard greens, broccoli rabe, etc.